Sweet Potato Cakes with Lime and Avocado

One of the reasons I managed to become semi-vegetarian is being able to make hearty and tasty vegetarian dishes. Being a huge fan of both avocados and sweet potatoes, this potato cakes recipe brings the best of both vegetables.

If you’re not sure about swapping your chicken or turkey for a complete vegetarian diet, I highly suggest you try out this potato cakes dish. Let me know how you found it. It will make the transition to becoming completely vegetarian a piece of cake (pun intended).

3 medium sweet potatoes (about 600g), peeled and coarsely grated

1 small red onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 thumb of ginger, peeled and finely grated (I skipped this and it still turned out great!)

2 tbsp corn flour

2 red chillies, 1 finely chopped and 1 finely sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Large handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped

2 tbsp brown rice flour (I simply used 4 tbsp of basic sauce thickening flour and it was OK)

6 tbsp olive oil or coconut butter, melted

2 ripe avocados, halved and pitted

2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 quartered

Tip the grated sweet potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, both flours, the chopped chilli, seasoning, about 1 tbsp of the coriander and 2 tbsp of the oil or melted coconut butter. Mix everything well. Divide the remaining oil or coconut butter between four 15cm-diameter cast-iron or heavy-based frying pans. Place over a high heat. Add one quarter of the potato mixture to each pan, or all of it to the large pan and flatten firmly with a spatula. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook each cake for 3-5 minutes (or slightly longer for the larger version). Then, run a palette knife or spatula around the edge. Tip each cake out onto a flat plate. Then, slide back into its pan the other way up. Return to the heat for about 3 more minutes until the underside is nicely browned. Scoop the avocados out of their skins with a spoon. Smash roughly with a little lime juice, the remaining coriander, sliced chilli and seasoning to taste. Serve each hot cake with the avocado mixture spooned on top and lime quarters to squeeze over.

Serves 4